Remember the High School Girls in NY Who Got a Mystery Disease from Drilling Chemicals?

They didn't.

I'm posting this as a new thread because there were several threads created on the subject and I didn't want to post in each of them. Here's the story: Le Roy High School Girls I'm sorry about the "Wall o' Text," but I tried, really, to trim the article down.

A second study has again found that the twitches, involuntary sounds and seizures that beset a group of Le Roy students and attracted international media attention earlier this year had no environmental cause.

Of the 18 students — mostly girls — who suffered the Tourette-like symptoms, most are either back to normal or showing continued improvement. Of those seen at Dent Neurologic Institute, only one still exhibits any tics at all, said Dr. Laszlo Mechtler, a treating neurologist and vice president at Dent.

"Exactly what we thought would happen is exactly what happened," he said.

He predicted months ago that as soon as the media attention died down, so would the stress-related symptoms.

Mechtler spoke to The Buffalo News shortly before the district released a comprehensive analysis by an environmental testing firm, which found no evidence that toxins or contaminants in or around Le Roy Junior-Senior High School posed health risks.

Those results from Leader Professional Services, encompassing nearly 6,000 pages of data from various air, soil and water tests done in and around school grounds, support the contention of treating physicians and school administrators that children in this rural community aren't being poisoned by the air they breathe or the water they drink.

The majority of the 18 afflicted Le Roy students were diagnosed individually as suffering from conversion disorder and, collectively, from mass psychogenic illness, also commonly referred to as mass hysteria. Doctors said they suffered physical symptoms rooted in underlying psychological stress.

But, with some exceptions, most neurologists have been steadfast in their support of the conversion disorder diagnosis. In April, this case was presented to members of the American Academy of Neurology.

"They supported the diagnosis," Mechtler said.

Mechtler said the students' conditions improved just as the national media moved on to other stories.

"These patients have improved after we requested the media step back from sensationalizing the disorder and putting them on TV," Mechtler said.

Mechtler said he's not surprised at the findings by Leader Professional Services and suggested that Erin Brockovich now go on national TV and take back her dramatic speculation about environmental toxins being the root cause of the disorders.

There are so many morals to be take from this. Peer influence, following the crowd, jumping to conclusions, blind acceptance of "science," manipulation, the desire for fame, etc.

I just wanted to put a close on the story.

With respect,
Charles1952

Click here for more information.

I watched the interviews with the girls. I don't believe this is a reasonable explanation to the behaviour they showed. Stress can be bad, and manifest physically with rashes and a host of other symptoms, and perhaps if it were a single case I might be less skeptical about the official diagnosis, but I'm I have doubts.

To each their own with opinions on this case.

In April, this case was presented to members of the American Academy of Neurology.

that is a good thing,,without the attention i doubt it would have come too their attention,,and if it happens else where ,,they now have a good foundation of medical data and recorded tests.
how this can be a bad thing or a glory seeking thing, is silly.
it is medical science and for a while they did what they are paid too do,, with tax payers money.
work for it.
As for the girls,,,,ALL but one,,,its that one,, that is still unanswered though,,
right.

reply to post by charles1952


I was thinking about this the other day, because I live only about an hour away from LeRoy.
Massive conversion disorder?

reply to post by ATScory

what a dick

How mature of you. And here you are, adding absolutely NOTHING of value to this thread, just being one yourself.

Way to go, junior.

OP, thanks for the update. I had wondered what happened to them myself. I'm not sure I buy "conversion disorder", but lest we forget, conversion disorder among young teen girls is what started the Salem Witch Trials.

There are certain psych meds that cause this effect.

I'm guessing they got their hands on something, shared it and ended up with a very common side effect.

It does take a while for these meds to leave your system. Months to years.

I'm willing to bet that if they'd given these girls Cogentin their symptoms would have disappeared.

reply to post by ATScory

Dear ATScory,

Somehow, I don't think this is going to count as "media attention" that drives the young ladies of Le Roy back into the hospital.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Oh, my opinion? I don't know what caused it. It could have been an infected insect, I don't know. I just had a certain sense of relief that a 6,000 page study couldn't find an environmental cause.

(Not that it's size makes it good, look at some of our legislation.)

With respect,
Charles1952

P.s. Charles is my real name, not dick. And you're supposed to capitalize proper names.

Seems like satisfactory explanation to me. Mass psychoses is more prevalent than you think.

I would classify this as an extreme example, a bit more noticeable then the rest if only because the behavior itself was more noticeable. Twitching, youtube videos and whatnot.



For anyone who has had their suspension of disbelief challenged, there have been other, weirder cases like this. For example The Dancing Plague:
en.wikipedia.org...

The outbreak began in July 1518, when a woman, Frau Troffea, began to dance fervently in a street in Strasbourg.[1] This lasted somewhere between four to six days. Within a week, 34 others had joined, and within a month, there were around 400 dancers. Some of these people eventually died from heart attack, stroke, or exhaustion.

reply to post by charles1952


Charles, thanks for posting the story. I was kinda wondering if anything had been uncovered yet and according to this article, the answer to my question would be; No.

Although, I have to admit that I'm not fully convinced that there wasn't an external cause to their afflictions. I think I'll wait to see just what Erin Brockovich uncovers before I make up my mind.

I'm sure that prior to her involvement in the case, all of the available evidence would have vindicated the U.S. West Coast Pacific Gas & Electric Company with respect to the Hinkley groundwater contamination case as well, but in the end, they were indeed guilty and they knew it all the while.

Just because the official studies have yet to discover an environmental cause, doesn't mean that one doesn't exist.

reply to post by disgustingfatbody


I thought I read somewhere that the girls didn't know each other. So how did they share it if they didn't know each other?

reply to post by Flatfish

Dear Flatfish,

Thanks. May I say I admire your spirit? The world needs some people who will not give up, who will keep poking and not accepting other's answers.

I think it was external as well, but I don't know what it was. As one poster suggested, shared drugs? The example of other girls? I don't think we've discovered what triggered it, but I have the feeling that Ms. Brockovich is not going to get much more air time on this case.

With respect,
Charles1952

Originally posted by disgustingfatbody
There are certain psych meds that cause this effect.

I'm guessing they got their hands on something, shared it and ended up with a very common side effect.

It does take a while for these meds to leave your system. Months to years.

I'm willing to bet that if they'd given these girls Cogentin their symptoms would have disappeared.

edit on 6/14/2012 by disgustingfatbody because: ADDED CONTENT

could you please do us the honor of sharing what meds cause this effect please?
never heard of any that can do give these types of symptoms.

reply to post by gunshooter

The older psych meds like Thorazine, Sinequan, Mellaril, Ativan, Haldol, especially the last one.

Should I keep going?

Originally posted by TsukiLunar
Seems like satisfactory explanation to me. Mass psychoses is more prevalent than you think.

I would classify this as an extreme example, a bit more noticeable then the rest if only because the behavior itself was more noticeable. Twitching, youtube videos and whatnot.



For anyone who has had their suspension of disbelief challenged, there have been other, weirder cases like this. For example The Dancing Plague:
en.wikipedia.org...

The outbreak began in July 1518, when a woman, Frau Troffea, began to dance fervently in a street in Strasbourg.[1] This lasted somewhere between four to six days. Within a week, 34 others had joined, and within a month, there were around 400 dancers. Some of these people eventually died from heart attack, stroke, or exhaustion.

edit on 14-6-2012 by TsukiLunar because: (no reason given)

dancing plague sounds interesting but I do no think that this is not conversion disorder on a mass level. conversion disorder only affects like 5 out of like 10,000 people, if that. It is one of the rarest disorders out there. and besides, someone who gets conversion disorder has usually gone through serious trauma, or extreme emotional distress, or something of the like. For something like this to happen on a mass level, it seems just unreal to me. I think what is causing it is either environmental or chemical.

Originally posted by disgustingfatbody
There are certain psych meds that cause this effect.

I'm guessing they got their hands on something, shared it and ended up with a very common side effect.

It does take a while for these meds to leave your system. Months to years.

I'm willing to bet that if they'd given these girls Cogentin their symptoms would have disappeared.

edit on 6/14/2012 by disgustingfatbody because: ADDED CONTENT

Where my skepticism came from is an article I read last year regarding someone consuming a tainted batch of medication that caused parkinson like symptoms. I looked for the article but couldn't find it.

Now, because of the age of the girls, it is very likely if they were taking something they weren't supposed to be, they may not disclose it because of possible reprimand by their parents. Leaving the doctors with inadequate information while making their diagnosis.

But, that is all speculation of course....

Originally posted by disgustingfatbody
reply to post by gunshooter

 

The older psych meds like Thorazine, Sinequan, Mellaril, Ativan, Haldol, especially the last one.

Should I keep going?

should you keep going? sorry I asked. yeah , you should probably stop right there, I'll just ask someone else or look myself, sorry to bother the sarcastic know it all

reply to post by boncho

I worked in pharmacy for years. I'm retired now.

reply to post by boncho


is this along the lines of what you were talking about Boncho?
this is the only thing Ive ever heard of. www.worstpills.org...

Originally posted by disgustingfatbody
reply to post by boncho

 

I worked in pharmacy for years. I'm retired now.

some of us dont have your expertise, and it would be helpful, and kind of you to shed light on what you know to the rest of us without a condescending undertone..... just sayin...